Kvarøy is, and has always been, at the forefront of sustainable fish farming and, more and more people in an increasing number of countries are discovering the fine taste of Kvarøy's salmon.

If you were to design the perfect conditions for salmon breeding, they would closely resemble the view from Kvarøy's office window: steep mountains plummet into deep fjords, filled with circulating currents that result from the merger of the cold Arctic waters and the mild Gulf Stream. The result is a veritable paradise for salmon, in which they have room to play and healthy food to eat.

No GMOs, no pollutants, no chemicals.

Kvarøy is located in the north of Norway, along one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on the world, the coast of Helgeland. Stretching from Trøndelag in the south to Salten in the north, the coastline is simply stunning, featuring more than ten thousand islands lined with chalky white beaches and topped with steep mountains. The wildlife, whether on land or in the sea, is spectacular and attracts enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world.

Kvarøy has a duty of care for this environment. It may be beautiful and breathtaking, but it’s also vulnerable and fragile. Farming fish in waters like this can potentially be a source of pollution, and Kvarøy makes sure they don’t contribute to this.

Kvarøy offers salmon of very high quality, without compromising either the environment or the welfare of the fish.

Kvarøy's farms in two different locations in waters that are up to 120 metres deep, which ensure there is great circulation and room for the salmon to swim.The temperature ranges from 5 to 15 degrees Celsius, which is perfect for breeding salmon. Salt, minerals and the mixture of marine organisms further enhance the suitability of the locations, making for a salmon that looks and tastes as fresh as the waters from which it came.

Kvarøy is located in the north of Norway, along one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on the world, the coast of Helgeland.

Just like any other livestock, the quality of the meat is closely related to what it eats. Exercise, living space and water quality also make a great difference to taste and nutritional value of the finished product. That’s why Kvarøy doesn't use copper in its nets to keep them clean – they use water instead. They don’t treat disease through aggressive use of antibiotics. They don’t feed its fish GMOs and they don’t use artificial colouring.

If you visit the locations of the Kvarøy fish farm, you see salmon jumping, flipping through the air with a cheeky twerk to their tail. The fjord around and beneath Kvarøy's locations is 120 metres deep, which creates more current that in turn exercises the salmon, reducing fat levels and improving the quality of the meat.

Kvarøy's farms in two different locations in waters that are up to 120 metres deep, which ensure there is great water circulation.

Mimicking nature’s way of raising salmon, Kvarøy has carefully picked sites with just the right water conditions are important in that respect, but how they manage the site itself, as well as the salmon, is just as important. Kvarøy's pens also have a low density of salmon (20kg/m3), greatly reducing problems connected to overpopulation.

Lumpsucker.

The ratio between how many kilograms fish and marine organisms (fish meal/fish oil) that are used in the feed in order to produce 1 kilogram of salmon, is one of the main concerns in sustainable fish farming.

Focusing on efficiency and using vegetable sources for proteins have greatly reduced its foot-print on the wild fish and Kvarøy has just a ratio of < 1:1, i.e. they produce more fish than what they consume.

Sea lice are one of the biggest concerns for fish farmers, and many use medical treatment to fight it. That creates pollution and some of the remedies are even banned in the USA. Kvarøy uses lumpsuckers. They are cute little fish who, as the name implies, suck the salmon free of lice, which are environmentally friendly and surely much more fun for the salmon.

Gjermund and Alf-Gøran.

There are just 70 souls on Kvarøy island, a close-knit community, forged by isolation and the forces of nature.

The company is particularly aware of the importance of co-operation, the value of doing things properly and the joy of friendship.

Kvarøyprovides a long term livelihood for its employees and a sustainable future for the inhabit-ants of this beautiful island.

That’s why Kvarøy's philosophy is all about pride, not about buzzwords like synergy, innovation and investment. Because as long as they make themselves and their fellow islanders proud, Kvarøy knows they have a great product.

About Kvarøy

Kvarøy is a family business and has been for three generations. Alf Olsen, a fish farming pioneer in northern Norway, founded the company in 1976 together with his son Geir.

Geir’s sons, Gjermund, Håvard and Alf-Gøran grew up on and around the farm.After taking it over in 2008, they continued to develop Kvarøy based on the core concept established by their forefathers: offering salmon of very high quality, without compromising either the environment or the welfare of their fish.

There are just 70 souls on Kvarøy island, a close-knit community, forged by isolation and the forces of nature.

New MSC standard for seaweed presented Chile
An induction to the Marine Stewardship Council standard in seaweed was carried out in dependencies of Chinquihue Foundation, in Puerto Montt, at the request of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture.